A Bold Condition for a Return

EastEnders icon Danniella Westbrook has made it clear: she would only step back onto Albert Square if her legendary character, Sam Mitchell, takes charge of the Queen Vic. The 49-year-old actress, who first appeared on the soap in 1990, revealed that running the famous pub is the one condition that could lure her back.

Speaking candidly, Danniella said:
“I’d only go back if they gave Sam Mitchell the Queen Vic. If they put Sam behind the bar and made her the next Peggy, I’d go back. But if they didn’t, I’m not interested. The show needs great matriarchs again, and they don’t have loads now, do they?”

For her, it’s about more than just a role — it’s about restoring the strong female energy that Peggy Mitchell, played by the late Barbara Windsor, once brought to the heart of the show.

How Sam Mitchell Would Change the Vic

Westbrook believes her Sam would bring fresh drama and grit back to Walford. Unlike Peggy’s no-nonsense rule, Sam’s version of the Vic would mix tradition with cheeky edge.

“If Sam were running the Vic, she’d be a lot like Peggy, I think. But she’d have poker nights and all sorts going on,” Danniella explained.

She also pointed out that her take on Sam is very different from actress Kim Medcalf’s portrayal. Medcalf, who has played Sam on and off since 2002, most recently appeared between 2022 and 2024. According to Westbrook, the two interpretations show very different sides of the character.

“The way I play Sam and the way she plays Sam, it’s like two completely different characters. Kim plays her more posh, middle-class, not as flirty. My Sam is brassy, cheeky, very East End,” she said.

A History of Comebacks and Struggles

Danniella Westbrook’s history with EastEnders has been as dramatic as the soap itself. Although she has been recast multiple times, producers brought her back in 2009 to recapture her on-screen chemistry with Patsy Palmer and Sid Owen, who had returned as Bianca and Ricky.

Her last appearance was in 2016, after a string of returns between 2009 and 2010. Unfortunately, personal struggles, including battles with addiction, cut her comebacks short. Westbrook has openly admitted that producers were concerned for her health.

On the Soap From The Box podcast, she revealed that bosses once told her:
“We were dreading making the phone call. We’re not offering you it because you’ve been so ill the last few times you’ve come back. We want to look after your safety first.”

Far from bitter, Westbrook reflected on that decision as a moment of relief:
“Do you know what? You’ve just taken the decision out of my hands. I feel I can put that to bed. Maybe one day we can all sit down, have dinner, and remember the good times.”

Could Sam Be the New Matriarch of Walford?

The Mitchell family has always been central to EastEnders, and Danniella believes the show needs a strong matriarch once more. With Sharon (Letitia Dean) and Denise (Diane Parish) already on the canvas, Sam’s fiery presence behind the Vic bar could spark new storylines and reignite old rivalries.

Whether or not producers will meet her condition remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: if Sam Mitchell does return under Westbrook’s command, Walford will never be the same again.